Characters Elizabeth Bennet: Elizabeth is the main character of Pride and Prejudice and is also one of the most well know characters in literature. She is the second of five daughters in the Bennet family. Because she is clever, witty, courageous, and out spoken, she is her father's favorite."My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me"(Austen 133). Despite all her admirable qualities, she can be proud and stubborn. "...I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine" (Austen 15). Elizabeth's bad opinion of Mr. Darcy is formed because she is proud, and it is kept because she is stubborn.
Mr. Darcy:
Mr. Darcy is the main male character of Pride and Prejudice. He is very handsome and very wealthy. At the beginging of the book he is shown as being extremely proud, conceited, and haughty. "...your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike.."(Austen 147). Towards the end of the book, after he falls in love with Elizabeth, he becomes more amiable and less proud.
Jane Bennet:
Jane is the eldest Bennet sister and is considered to be the most beautiful. People who do not know her well have a hard time telling what she is feeling because she is very reserved. She is a pleasant person who can see the good in everyone. "All loveliness and goodness as she is! Her understanding excellent, her mind improved, and her manners captivating" (Austen 142). Mr. Bingley: Like, his friend, Mr. Darcy he is wealthy and handsome. Unlike Mr. Darcy he has a very delightful personality. He is outgoing and very friendly. "...he had a pleasant countenace, and easy, unaffected manners" (Austen 8).
Mrs. Bennet:
Mrs. Bennet is complaining and unintelligent. "She was a women of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper"(Austen 5). She often embarrased her daughters and husband when they were in public. Her goal in life was to marry off her daughters to rich men so they would be supported when their father died. "The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news" (Austen 5).
Mr. Bennet:
Mr. Bennet prefers the solitude of his study and often neglects his wife and daughters. He is has a sarcastic humor and finds amusement in is wife and three youngest daughters. "Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice..." (Austen 5).
Lydia: Lydia is the youngest Bennet sister. She is flirtatious, unruly, self-absorbed, immature, and reckless. She spends a lot of time chasing after the officers in town. "Vain, ignorant, idle and absolutely uncontrolled!"(Austen 176).
Mr. Wickham:
At the beging of the book Mr. Wickham is portrayed as a charming gentleman who was wronged by Mr. Darcy. Later it is found out that he is just cunning and deceitful
Mr. Collins: Mr. Collins is a cousin of Mr. Bennet that is going to inherit his estate after he dies. He is pompous and likes to flatter Lady Catherine de Bourgh. "...Mr. Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man..." (Austen 104)
Kitty Bennet:
Although she is older than Lydia she follows everything that she does. "She will follow wherever Lydia leads"(Austen 176).
Mary Bennet: Most serious and most plain Bennet sister.
Other Characters: Charlotte Lucas Georgiana Darcy Lady Catherine de Bourgh Caroline Bingley Colonel Fitzwilliam Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner Summary
Pride and Prejudice starts with the arrival of Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Bennet is especially happy about his arrival because her goal in life is to marry off her daughters. The Bennet's attend a ball where they meet Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy. Everyone likes Mr. Bingley, and they all find him to be very amiable. He likes Jane Bennet a lot and spends most of the evening dancing with her. Unlike Mr. Bingley, everyone dislikes Mr. Darcy. They all think that he is very snobbish and proud. Elizabeth especially dislikes Mr. Darcy because she over hears him talking to Mr. Bingley about her. He said, "She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men" (Austen 10). Soon after the ball Miss Bingley invited Jane over for a social visit. While at the Bingley's Jane catches a bad cold and has to stay several days. When Elizabeth hears that she is sick she goes to take care of her. While Elizabeth is at the Bingley's Mr. Darcy finds that he is attracted to her intelligence and her "fine eyes." When Elizabeth and Jane return home Mr. Collins comes to visit their family. Mr. Collins had been advised by Lady Catherine de Bourgh to find a wife. Shortly after he arrived he proposed to Elizabeth. When she refused to marry him he proposed to her best friend Charlotte and she accepted. Meanwhile, the Bennet sisters have been spending a lot of time in town with the militia officers. One of the officers is Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth is especially fond of Mr. Wickham; she finds him friendly and pleasing. He tells her that Mr. Darcy cruelly cheated him out of his inheritance. At the begining of winter, the Bingleys and Mr. Darcy leave for London with no intention of comming back. Later Jane visits the city hoping to see Mr. Bingley. She meets with Miss Bingley, but she is treated very rudely, and Mr. Bingley never comes to see her at all. Jane is heartbroken, but she keeps her feelings to herself. In the Spring, Elizabeth is invited to visit Mr. Collins and Charlotte. While she is visiting them Mr. Darcy visits his aunt Lady Cathrine de Bourgh. Because Lady Cathrine lives nextdoor to Mr. Collins and Charlotte, Elizabeth is often in his company. At the end of his stay, he declares his love for Elizabeth and proposes to her. She is shocked and insulted by his proposel. She refuses, because she has heard that Mr. Darcy is to blame for Jane's broken heart, and because of what Mr. Wickham said he did to him. The next day Mr. Darcy gives a letter to Elizabeth. The letter explains that he told Mr. Bingley to distance himself from Jane because he thought her to be uninterested in him. He also informed her that the cause of his disagreement with Wickham was his attempt to elope with his young sister, Georgiana. This letter causes Elizabeth to rethink her opinion of Mr. Darcy. When Elizabeth and Jane return home they find that the militia is leaving and Lydia will be going with them. Elizabeth thinks that she is too young and reckless to go, but her father thinks that she needs to see the world. After Lydia leaves so does Elizabeth. She goes on a holiday with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners. They convince her to got to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate. She agrees to go because she heard that Mr. Darcy would not be there. While she is there she unexpectantly runs into him. She is suprised but her treats her very kindly. Just as she is getting closer to Mr. Darcy she recieves a letter from home saying that Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth rushes home, and Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner go to London to look for Lydia. Mr. Darcy also goes to London. He finds Mr. Wickham and Lydia, and bribes Mr. Wickham to marry Lydia, so her family wont be disgraced. Soon after Lydia and Mr. Wickham get married, Mr. Bingley comes back to town. Jane and Mr. Bingley are soon closer than they were before he left, and he proposes. Mr. Darcy also proposes to Elizabeth again. This time she accepts. The book ends with the marriages of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, and Jane and Mr. Bingley. Videos
"It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples" (Austen 71). "...I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on the marry" (Austen 147).
Would I recommend it? Yes, I would definetly recommend this book. I think that the story of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's love is timeless. The plot of the story was amazing and it was written beautifully. When I started reading I just couldn't stop; I was drawn into the story. There are so many different characters in the story, everyone can find a character that they identify with. When Pride and Prejudice was written society was very different than it is today. I thought that it was very interesting to read about what it was like back then.
Why is it outstanding? Pride and Prejudice has been around for a really long time. It is one of the most cherished love stories. I think that any book that has been around for so long has to be pretty amazing. Jane Austen writes beautifully. Her style of writting is different than any other book that I have ever read. It was difficult to read when I first started the book but after awhile I started to really like how it was written. Elizabeth is a very relatable character. I could easily identify with her struggles, with her family and Mr. Darcy. Austen wrote about the themes of love and society. These are two topics that have been around forever. Even though Pride and Prejudice was written so long ago everyone can still identify with those two themes.
Pride and
Prejudice
by Jane
Austen
"It is a truth universally acknowledged
that a single man in possesion of a good
fortune must be in want of a wife" (Austen 1)
Characters
Elizabeth Bennet:
Elizabeth is the main character of Pride and Prejudice and is also one of the most well know characters in literature. She is the second of five daughters in the Bennet family. Because she is clever, witty, courageous, and out spoken, she is her father's favorite."My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me" (Austen 133). Despite all her admirable qualities, she can be proud and stubborn. "...I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine" (Austen 15). Elizabeth's bad opinion of Mr. Darcy is formed because she is proud, and it is kept because she is stubborn.
Mr. Darcy:
Mr. Darcy is the main male character of Pride and Prejudice. He is very handsome and very wealthy. At the beginging of the book he is shown as being extremely proud, conceited, and haughty. "...your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike.." (Austen 147). Towards the end of the book, after he falls in love with Elizabeth, he becomes more amiable and less proud.
Jane Bennet:
Jane is the eldest Bennet sister and is considered to be the most beautiful. People who do not know her well have a hard time telling what she is feeling because she is very reserved. She is a pleasant person who can see the good in everyone. "All loveliness and goodness as she is! Her understanding excellent, her mind improved, and her manners captivating" (Austen 142).
Mr. Bingley:
Like, his friend, Mr. Darcy he is wealthy and handsome. Unlike Mr. Darcy he has a very delightful personality. He is outgoing and very friendly. "...he had a pleasant countenace, and easy, unaffected manners" (Austen 8).
Mrs. Bennet:
Mrs. Bennet is complaining and unintelligent. "She was a women of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper" (Austen 5). She often embarrased her daughters and husband when they were in public. Her goal in life was to marry off her daughters to rich men so they would be supported when their father died. "The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news" (Austen 5).
Mr. Bennet:
Mr. Bennet prefers the solitude of his study and often neglects his wife and daughters. He is has a sarcastic humor and finds amusement in is wife and three youngest daughters. "Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice..." (Austen 5).
Lydia:
Lydia is the youngest Bennet sister. She is flirtatious, unruly, self-absorbed, immature, and reckless. She spends a lot of time chasing after the officers in town. "Vain, ignorant, idle and absolutely uncontrolled!" (Austen 176).
Mr. Wickham:
At the beging of the book Mr. Wickham is portrayed as a charming gentleman who was wronged by Mr. Darcy. Later it is found out that he is just cunning and deceitful
Mr. Collins:
Mr. Collins is a cousin of Mr. Bennet that is going to inherit his estate after he dies. He is pompous and likes to flatter Lady Catherine de Bourgh. "...Mr. Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man..." (Austen 104)
Kitty Bennet:
Although she is older than Lydia she follows everything that she does. "She will follow wherever Lydia leads" (Austen 176).
Mary Bennet: Most serious and most plain Bennet sister.
Other Characters:
Charlotte Lucas
Georgiana Darcy
Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Caroline Bingley
Colonel Fitzwilliam
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner
Summary
Pride and Prejudice starts with the arrival of Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Bennet is especially happy about his arrival because her goal in life is to marry off her daughters. The Bennet's attend a ball where they meet Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy. Everyone likes Mr. Bingley, and they all find him to be very amiable. He likes Jane Bennet a lot and spends most of the evening dancing with her. Unlike Mr. Bingley, everyone dislikes Mr. Darcy. They all think that he is very snobbish and proud. Elizabeth especially dislikes Mr. Darcy because she over hears him talking to Mr. Bingley about her. He said, "She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men" (Austen 10). Soon after the ball Miss Bingley invited Jane over for a social visit. While at the Bingley's Jane catches a bad cold and has to stay several days. When Elizabeth hears that she is sick she goes to take care of her. While Elizabeth is at the Bingley's Mr. Darcy finds that he is attracted to her intelligence and her "fine eyes." When Elizabeth and Jane return home Mr. Collins comes to visit their family. Mr. Collins had been advised by Lady Catherine de Bourgh to find a wife. Shortly after he arrived he proposed to Elizabeth. When she refused to marry him he proposed to her best friend Charlotte and she accepted. Meanwhile, the Bennet sisters have been spending a lot of time in town with the militia officers. One of the officers is Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth is especially fond of Mr. Wickham; she finds him friendly and pleasing. He tells her that Mr. Darcy cruelly cheated him out of his inheritance. At the begining of winter, the Bingleys and Mr. Darcy leave for London with no intention of comming back. Later Jane visits the city hoping to see Mr. Bingley. She meets with Miss Bingley, but she is treated very rudely, and Mr. Bingley never comes to see her at all. Jane is heartbroken, but she keeps her feelings to herself. In the Spring, Elizabeth is invited to visit Mr. Collins and Charlotte. While she is visiting them Mr. Darcy visits his aunt Lady Cathrine de Bourgh. Because Lady Cathrine lives nextdoor to Mr. Collins and Charlotte, Elizabeth is often in his company. At the end of his stay, he declares his love for Elizabeth and proposes to her. She is shocked and insulted by his proposel. She refuses, because she has heard that Mr. Darcy is to blame for Jane's broken heart, and because of what Mr. Wickham said he did to him. The next day Mr. Darcy gives a letter to Elizabeth. The letter explains that he told Mr. Bingley to distance himself from Jane because he thought her to be uninterested in him. He also informed her that the cause of his disagreement with Wickham was his attempt to elope with his young sister, Georgiana. This letter causes Elizabeth to rethink her opinion of Mr. Darcy. When Elizabeth and Jane return home they find that the militia is leaving and Lydia will be going with them. Elizabeth thinks that she is too young and reckless to go, but her father thinks that she needs to see the world. After Lydia leaves so does Elizabeth. She goes on a holiday with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners. They convince her to got to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate. She agrees to go because she heard that Mr. Darcy would not be there. While she is there she unexpectantly runs into him. She is suprised but her treats her very kindly. Just as she is getting closer to Mr. Darcy she recieves a letter from home saying that Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth rushes home, and Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner go to London to look for Lydia. Mr. Darcy also goes to London. He finds Mr. Wickham and Lydia, and bribes Mr. Wickham to marry Lydia, so her family wont be disgraced. Soon after Lydia and Mr. Wickham get married, Mr. Bingley comes back to town. Jane and Mr. Bingley are soon closer than they were before he left, and he proposes. Mr. Darcy also proposes to Elizabeth again. This time she accepts. The book ends with the marriages of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, and Jane and Mr. Bingley.
Videos
"It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples" (Austen 71).
"...I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on the marry" (Austen 147).
Would I recommend it?
Yes, I would definetly recommend this book. I think that the story of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's love is timeless. The plot of the story was amazing and it was written beautifully. When I started reading I just couldn't stop; I was drawn into the story. There are so many different characters in the story, everyone can find a character that they identify with. When Pride and Prejudice was written society was very different than it is today. I thought that it was very interesting to read about what it was like back then.
Why is it outstanding?
Pride and Prejudice has been around for a really long time. It is one of the most cherished love stories. I think that any book that has been around for so long has to be pretty amazing. Jane Austen writes beautifully. Her style of writting is different than any other book that I have ever read. It was difficult to read when I first started the book but after awhile I started to really like how it was written. Elizabeth is a very relatable character. I could easily identify with her struggles, with her family and Mr. Darcy. Austen wrote about the themes of love and society. These are two topics that have been around forever. Even though Pride and Prejudice was written so long ago everyone can still identify with those two themes.
Character Pictures:
Elizabeth http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/10/20/Pride_051019100642358_wideweb300x375,3.jpg
Mr. Bingley http://thecia.com.au/reviews/p/images/pride-and-prejudice-9.jpg
Mr. Darcy http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/focus_features/pride_and_prejudice/matthew_macfadyen/pride2.jpg
Mrs. Bennet http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/de/250px-Pride_&_prejudice2005.jpg
Mr. Bennet http://www.jimandellen.org/ellen/95PP6Interlude5.jpg
Jane http://www.totalfilm.com/data/assets/thumbnail/763198/varieties/4.jpg
Lydia http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/focus_features/pride_and_prejudice/_group_photos/jena_malone3.jpg
Mr. Wickham http://cleobulle.perso.cegetel.net/prideandprejudice/pics/wickham.JPG
Mr. Collins http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/focus_features/pride_and_prejudice/tom_hollander/pride.jpg
Kitty http://careymulligan.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/pp_10.jpg
Book Picture: http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Bantam-Classics-Austen/dp/0553213105
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Richmond, Surry: Oneworld Classics LTD, 2007
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaLFh1SPvB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tln-uJmiiQQ</span